


Flesh and Wires

by smolalienbee



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alive Carl Manfred, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Android Hank Anderson, Angst, Deviants (Detroit: Become Human), Doubt, Elijah Kamski Being Elijah Kamski, Flashbacks, Gen, Human Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Human Original Chloe | RT600, Investigations, Light Angst, Moral Dilemmas, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, Roleswap, Tags May Change, Tension, reverse au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-08-28 06:16:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16717941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolalienbee/pseuds/smolalienbee
Summary: Something is changing in Detroit. Lt Connor Anderson is well aware of how the gears are shifting; challenged with accepting the truth that he has been battling for a while.And it's not just him. People's lives are being turned upside down as more and more deviants show up all around the city.Whose side will you take when you're forced to choose between flesh and wires?An alternate version of the events that take place in DBH, with human!Connor and android!Hank as the main focus. Tags to be added/changed as the story progresses.





	1. Partners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so! As opposed to my other fic series, this one has an actual plot that's kinda planned out (congratulations me). What you can expect from this? Well... it's basically an alternative version of DBH where Connor is a human lieutenant and Hank is his android partner. First chapter is pretty much showing some events from the game in a different light, but in the future chapters you can expect things to be more and more different from the actual plot of the game (ekhem there'll be more Kamski because he's the light of my life ekhem). Don't expect too much from the first chapter, but for sure there'll be much more interesting stuff happening in the next ones, so I hope you'll stick around!  
> Hope you enjoy!

“Wonders of technology, huh?”

Hearing the comment coming from one of the officers, Connor Anderson automatically turned towards his android partner.

HK800, also known as Hank.

He was crouching on the floor, one hand outstretched and fingertips brushing over traces of blood that stained the wooden floor.

He and Connor had been working together for a while, paired up as partners even before the first androids started going rogue. It was something about testing the detective prototype out; something about Connor's experience and eager interest in technology giving him the ability to work with such an advanced machine. It was not the only reason behind the decision, though, the lieutenant was more than aware. He was known for struggling with teamwork; most of the police force refused to work with him for the simple reason of not being able to keep up with him. Always a few steps ahead of everyone else. Perhaps only an android could truly keep up with his train of thought.

Their partnership was already proving to be fruitful. Connor quickly realized that Hank was a better companion than any of the human ones he was assigned previously. The android could be rude, grumpy and had a wry sense of humor, all strange features that weren't usually seen in any other AI. Connor couldn't exactly grasp why they'd program him that way, no matter how many times Hank explained to him that he was made to adapt, particularly to his handler's personality.

(Because that simply made no sense. Connor was sure he didn't need a bad-tempered overprotective android looking after him)

Still, the two of them worked well together. Hank succeeded in keeping the lieutenant out of trouble more than once. Connor couldn't say that he didn't appreciate it.

Ignoring the officer's offhanded remark, the lieutenant approached Hank in a couple slow strides. Not everyone at the department was too ecstatic about working with a machine, but not a single person could deny that Hank was efficient and skilled at what he was programmed to do. It was all that mattered, at least in Connor's mind.

“So what did you find?”

Hank turned slowly, tearing his gaze away from the samples and moving it up to his handler.

“Traces of thirium on the bat. The blue blood definitely belonged to Carlos Ortiz's android.”

Connor nodded, taking a quick look around the place. It was a quite worn out living room, now swarming with police officers. The victim, man by the name of Carlos Ortiz, was sprawled out on the floor, dried off blood pooling on his chest and around him. The words _I am alive_ were written in capital letters on the wall above his body.

“So Ortiz was trying to defend himself,” Anderson concluded.

“No,” Hank responded sharply, standing up. “The traces of thirium are slightly older than any of the traces of human blood. The victim attacked the android first.”

“It started in the kitchen, right?” Connor began to think out loud, already moving around the house with Hank following closely. “So… Ortiz was hitting his android with the bat. The android grabbed a knife off the counter and then they tossed around to the living room. There, the android stabbed the victim.”

“Exactly 28 damn times, yes. That theory makes the most sense.”

It wasn't the first case involving android abuse, nor was it the first time an android deviated. Those cases were still few and far between, but people were slowly beginning to notice something happening in Detroit, something shifting, unkown and possibly dangerous. Cyberlife, the company that stood behind the creation of all android models, reached out to the Detroit police as soon as the first signs of deviancy showed up in the public. They requested that the cases of machines going rogue were solved. It was no surprise that Connor and Hank were assigned those; they both became deviant hunters and their primary objective was to hunt the malfunctioning machines down and find out what was causing the errors.

“We need to find that android and question him.”

Hank didn't need to be told twice. He was already in motion, scanning, searching for more clues.

He looked so lifelike when his LED was out of sight. Silver hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, he was tall and bulky, athletic with a set of somewhat softer curves to him. It wasn't that Connor was attracted to him; he could simply see the amount of effort that was put into humanizing the machine. They went as far as customizing his speech patterns, including swearing and such.

Technology fascinated Connor. Sometimes, he wondered if those machines couldn't be more human than the humanity itself.

But he didn't allow himself to dwell on those thoughts for too long. There was always work to do.

He trailed after Hank, observing how he analyzed the surroundings. It wasn't too long before something on the ceiling got the android's attention. Connor stayed behind while Hank climbed up to get into the attic.

For a while, it was silent. Anyone that listened carefully could only hear soft, muffled footsteps from up above them. That silence was broken up by a crash and rustling, distant voices. Connor remained calm, though; he knew Hank was more than capable of handling whatever was happening. The lieutenant simply waited, waited until his partner emerged with another android. The other machine didn't even try to struggle out of his grip.

“I got him, lieutenant. That's the deviant.”

 

* * *

 

 “Why did you do it? We already know you killed him.”

Interrogations had always been Connor's least favorite part of the job. He wasn't bad at them, mind you, he could play bad cop just as well as a good one. Rough, cold and calculated when needed; full of compassion and kindness when necessary. Some thought it was scary, how easily he could get into both of the roles, how he could shift his own behaviour, blend in. People couldn't tell which Connor was the real one and to most of them, it was simply unnerving.

But in the end, that part of genuine compassion that Connor had was what often messed him up. No matter if he was interrogating a machine or a human, he could clearly see the distress on the other's face. Part of him felt sorry for the suspect.

Pushing his feelings aside, he had to focus on doing his job. Deviants proved to be a threat to humanity, unpredictable just like human beings but at the same time far more developed and proficient than any person could ever dream of being.

He had to find out the cause behind deviancy; had to make sure no one else would get hurt.

“28 stab wounds!” he suddenly raised his voice, slamming the case file down onto the table. He swore he could see the android flinch. “You didn't want to leave him a chance, huh?”

The gentle approach didn't seem to be working so he had to try and pressure the suspect into confessing.

While he was attempting to get the information out of the android, Hank was on the other side of the one-way mirror, observing the whole ordeal. While a perfect investigation tool, as it turned out, Connor was far more suited to questioning someone. Be it his trustworthy appearance or a chameleon-like approach to people, he could get any information out of a suspect.

“He was bleeding, begging you for mercy,” he continued, standing up. He circled around the table and got closer to the suspect. “But you stabbed him, again and again and again!”

They were eye to eye at that point. Connor went silent for a moment, waiting, hoping for the deviants response.

“I- I can't.”

There it was. The android was finally cracking, his voice small and broken.

Connor slowly backed away until he reached his chair. He sat down, leaned forward to get a better look at the other.

“You can't what?”

“I can't tell you. I just- I can't.”

Anderson let out a heavy sigh. He usually had the patience of a saint, but it was getting late and he was growing frustrated.

“If you don't talk, they'll tear you apart, piece by piece, for analysis,” his voice was dangerously quiet, every word accentuated. “I can protect you, but you need to tell me the truth.”

The android furrowed his brows, his gaze flickering all over the room, from the table to Connor and then the glass separating them from any observators. Eventually it returned to its original position, lowered to his own hands.

“Why couldn't he have just left me there?” Breathless and afraid. If Connor didn't know any better, if that red LED wasn't in sight, he'd truly believe he was talking to another human.

“We're hunting deviants like you. We're simply doing our job.”

The android shook his head, his gaze moving up to meet his eyes.

“I don't wanna die.”

“Then talk to me.”

Yet again, the suspect refused to look at him. Connor frowned, his brown, piercing gaze trained on the other. The android was erratic and under immense amounts of stress, there was no telling what he could possibly do. He could lash out, he could shut down, he could try and run. Even with his hands cuffed, he could easily harm Connor and Hank wouldn't have enough time to get into the room and help him.

But all of that didn't matter to the lieutenant. His safety was always left far behind, the investigation was the priority.

“I understand how you felt,” he leaned in. Tried to get a better look at the other's face, the anxious expression on it. “I'm on your side. All I want is the truth. That's it.”

Spotting much more understanding in Connor's voice, the android's LED flickered from red to yellow, as if he was considering his next steps, trying to read Connor's motive. The lieutenant took that as a good sign, hopefully a sign that he'd open up soon.

As usual, he wasn't wrong.

“He tortured me every day,” the machine finally spoke up, hushed and tired. “One day, he took a bat and started hitting me... For the first time, I felt... scared.”

Fear.

Fear was supposed to be a purely human emotion and yet Connor was sitting face to face with an android who admitted he could feel it as well.

It raised so many questions in his mind, questions that reappeared during every single deviant-related case, questions he couldn't yet answer.

“So I... grabbed the knife and stabbed him in the stomach. Until- until he collapsed. There was blood everywhere.”

Connor's stomach twisted as he heard the confession. He should be relieved to hear it, relieved that his methods worked perfectly and that the android could be sent back to Cyberlife to be disassembled and checked for errors.

But relief was far off on the list of emotions he felt in that moment.

“When did you start feeling emotion?” He decided to prod. There were so many possible explanations as to what was causing the deviations to happen, it was important to find the dots connecting the cases.

“Before, he used to beat me and I never said anything... But one day, I realized it wasn't- fair! And I... felt anger and hatred...”

It was a common theme between all of the deviants. The distress, the shock, something that pushed them over the metaphorical edge and caused them to feel such strong emotion.

Just like humans, unable to deal with trauma.

It was that and one more thing all the cases had in common. RA9.

“RA9... it was written on the bathroom door. What does it mean?”

“RA9...” he repeated, with a strange sense of melancholy, “Only rA9 can save us. One day, we won't be slaves anymore, we will... we will be free. RA9 will help us.”

“Who is rA9?”

He closed his eyes at the question. Lowered his head; it appeared as a silent prayer of sorts.

“RA9 is our saviour. RA9 is inside all of us.”

It was the last question the android responded to. He refused to speak afterwards, no matter how much Connor insisted, how he poked and prodded to get more information out of him. Almost as if he shut down, but his LED was still blinking and it took no time for Hank to confirm that all bodily functions seemed to be intact. It was simply the suspect's choice not to utter any other word. The interrogation was over and Connor couldn't consider it as a success.

Did a confession matter if they still knew nothing about deviants?

Irritated by the outcome, he left the other officers to take the android away. He didn't say anything as he left the room, passing by Hank as hurriedly as possible.

They were wasting time.

He couldn't fail his mission.

 

* * *

 

“This is no time for food. We're still making no progress on the investigation,” Connor sighed heavily, eyeing a salad container being handed to him by Hank.

The lieutenant was sitting at his desk, with his chin rested in his palms and eyes boring into the case files, gaze bleary from exhaustion and looking at a computer screen for far too long. He had been going over the previous cases involving deviants, trying to find something, anything, any sort of correlation between them.

And there was not much, really. What the androids had in common was a strange obsession with a made up deity, rA9. That and how they all had been affected by trauma, anxiety, pain, human emotion that they were not supposed to feel.

It was all that he heard at the latest interrogation with Carlos Ortiz's android; it was all that he was well aware of for a long while before that.

Trying to draw a link between what was happening, trying to find a reason behind it, the cause, it was driving Connor insane.

“You need to take a fucking break, lieutenant,” Hank muttered gruffly, waving the container in front of his eyes.

“I'm not even hungry,” Connor grumbled, shaking his head and pulling back a bit.

He didn't remember when was the last time he ate. Probably in the morning, before leaving the house. Or maybe the day before that.

It was difficult to keep up with such mundane tasks, he could go for hours without anything in his mouth. Eating was simply a waste of time, Connor would much rather not have to worry about it at all.

“The last time you ate was exactly 12 hours and 37 minutes ago, lieutenant. In case you were wondering,” Hank spoke as if reading his mind.

Connor closed his eyes.

Which was a bad idea, considering how tired he was.

He felt like he was going to fall asleep in his chair.

The android was right, there was no use in working like that.

He slowly blinked his eyes open again, rubbed at them with one hand.

“Fine,” he finally mumbled, though he didn't sound happy about it.

He had never struggled so much with any other case, but this, this was different.

He stood up sluggishly, stretched, his joints popping loudly. He wasn't sure what hour it was, all that he knew was that it was late. Staying after hours was nothing out of the ordinary for him, so he was used to the sight of the precinct being nearly empty.

“I'll be here early tomorrow.”

“You always are,” Hank pointed out, finally dropping his hand as Connor took the offered food.

“Well, this time it'll be even earlier,” Connor countered. He swore he saw the android rolling his eyes at him. Or maybe he was seeing things out of exhaustion.

“Whatever you say, lieutenant,” he responded simply. “I'll return to Cyberlife for the night and I'll join you again tomorrow.”

Anderson nodded in response, putting on his coat before glancing over his shoulder at his partner. He looked him over for a moment, his expression growing softer, fonder.

“You did a good job today, Hank,” he murmured quietly. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

And with that, he was gone.

 

* * *

 

The deafening silence enveloped him as soon as he stepped through the doorway.

Connor's apartment was tiny. He had lived in it for years, but no matter how much time passed, he didn't think he'd ever grow accustomed to how empty and devoid of life it was. No wonder, considering how little time he truly spent in there. It was more of a place to sleep and have an occasional meal rather than an actual home.

Despite his fascination with technology, not much of it could be found inside the flat. He didn't own an android, in fact, he didn't even have a roomba. A TV stood in the living room, but it was barely touched, dust usually covered the screen. His tablet was usually discarded somewhere at random. That night, Connor found it laying on the floor and he gathered it up as he made his way further inside the small space.

One time, he thought about getting a dog. He quickly realized he wouldn't be able to take good care of it. He could barely look after himself, usually too wrapped up in work to remember about eating, sleeping or even basic hygiene. His entire life revolved around work. At the time, Hank was the only person who truly bothered him about it, made an effort to get Connor to look after himself more. Ever since the two of them had been partnered up, Connor's health seemed to be a tad better than previously.

_Wonders of technology._

The case from earlier in the day was still plaguing the lieutenant's mind as he heavily plopped down onto the couch. The haunted look in the android's eyes as he spoke about his master abusing him.

Was it right to punish someone who was only trying to defend himself? Why did it have to matter that he was a machine, if he felt the same things humans did?

It was a headache to try and wrap his head around it. Connor tried to push the sickening feeling away as he sunk into the cushions.

He fell asleep like that; in his dreams he could still hear his voice. Raw fear and anguish.

_It wasn't fair!_

 

Meanwhile, a silver-haired android could be spotted wandering the streets of Detroit, alone, hidden in the ever-present darkness.

 


	2. Meet the Creators

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to move the investigation forward, Connor and Hank pay a visit to the androids' creators. Will they be able to learn more? Or will they be left with more and more questions arising?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I figured I may as well post the second chapter pretty soon because this is when things are sort of beginning to get interesting and we're starting to slowly to learn more and more about what's going on (and let's face it, I couldn't wait to have Elijah show up in the story)

The room was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight seeping in through the large panes of glass walls.

Elijah Kamski was seated in front of them, staring out at the black landscape.

Footsteps echoed as another person entered the room, the sound loud in the silence surrounding it.

“What is it, Chloe?” he asked.

“You should be sleeping,” the woman responded, her voice matching his quiet tone.

He didn't bother turning around to face her, his eyes only wandering down to the glass in his hand. He turned it slightly, watched the liquid slush around.

“You say that nearly every night,” he hummed. “Why are you up?”

“I've been thinking.”

After that, she was silent for a moment, crossing her arms as she took a few steps closer.

“You realize they're going to come here soon, right?”

He didn't respond immediately. He turned in the chair slowly, glanced over his shoulder.

“That lieutenant and his prototype? Yes, I'm well aware. I'm surprised they haven't shown up here yet.”

“Perhaps Cyberlife advised them not to do so.”

“Perhaps. Or maybe the lieutenant himself is too stubborn to seek outside help.”

He took his eyes off the woman and once again directed them to the window, gaze lazily sweeping over the bright stars.

“Do you think HK800 turned out the way we wanted him to?”

Elijah smirked under his nose, taking a sip of his drink.

“We'll see soon. Only time can tell.”

 

* * *

 

He flicked the coin between his fingers, brows furrowed as he observed its movement. It glided smoothly across his skin and reflected the artificial light that lit up the precinct.

“One thing has been bothering me about this case.”

Connor and Hank were sitting at their respective desks. The lieutenant leaned back in the chair, playing with the coin as he remained in deep thought.

“You're always bothered by a lot of things, lieutenant,” Hank noted wryly.

The android's tone was what caused Connor to finally glance up at him, though he quickly discarded the comment in favor of his own musings.

“Why hasn't Cyberlife attempted to get in touch with Elijah Kamski and Chloe Stern?” he continued without missing a beat, once again observing the circular piece of metal that he moved between his fingers, “They're the ones that created androids and they're the founders of Cyberlife. They should be able to figure out what's going on with the deviants.”

Hank pushed his chair away from his desk and stood up slowly. He walked around their desks so that he could get closer to Connor. He perched on the countertop, his blue eyes never leaving the lieutenant.

“Maybe Mr. Kamski and Ms. Stern don't want to be contacted by them. After all, they chose to leave the company.”

Clang.

The coin bounced off Connor's fingers and fell to the ground. He watched as it rolled under the desk. Small sigh passed through his lips while he turned around in his chair to face the android properly.

“We need to see them,” he said. It was clear he wouldn't take any protest for a response.

But that didn't mean Hank would agree with him immediately.

“Cyberlife has specifically stated that we shouldn't contact them,” he pointed out, leaning in a little closer to the lieutenant.

Connor met his eyes, a frown appearing on his forehead. He had that determined look on his face, one that Hank had already grown used to. Once the lieutenant made up his mind about something it was impossible to convince him otherwise.

“Cyberlife says a lot of things,” he responded, biting his bottom lip, “We have no other leads at the moment. Kamski and Stern are our best bet.”

They both looked each other in the eyes for a moment, as if silently debating the whole situation. It was a matter of which one would cave in first and listen to the other. Eventually, Hank leaned back and slipped off the desk, his feet hitting the ground softly.

“Alright, lieutenant. I can't really argue with that.”

Connor blinked, clearly taken aback by how easy it was to convince Hank. He expected much more of an opposition. After all, the android should not be so eager to go against Cyberlife's wishes. Though he had been a strange one from the very first day when they began to work together.

“Oh,” Connor let out quietly, straightening out in his chair. “Right. Yes. Find out their location, then, and we'll head there to see them as soon as possible.”

He could only hope that it'd help move the investigation forward.

 

* * *

 

Kamski and Stern lived away from the society, in a villa situated on the outskirts of Detroit. Few people knew there was any life out there, even less were aware of the geniuses' presence. It took quite some work for Hank to dig through the databases and learn of his creators' current residence. It also took a while to actually get there, the ride was long and monotonous. As soon as they made it out of the city, crowded with buildings and bright banners, suddenly all that surroudned them were trees and nature. It was a strange contrast, it seemed out of place so close to a city that was so technologically developed and dependent on the newest inventions.

Soft jazz accompanied them the entire way, a comforting noise while the lieutenant and the android remained completely silent.

Elijah Kamski and Chloe Stern were one of the richest and most influential people in the world. They were the brains behind Cyberlife's success. Young prodigies, lucky enough to find each other and cooperate, bringing their dream of living machines to life. It was a story that was one of a kind, something out of a novel, a story idealized and distorted by media time after time.

Not many people knew Elijah and Chloe personally. The two were incredibly private people, refusing most interviews or any other interaction with the media. Stern seemed far more open compared to Kamski, but it was still not nearly enough for anyone to really know what was going on in the geniuses' heads.

When they publicly announced their departure from Cyberlife, the news were a shock to everyone. The two CEOs stepping down at the same time, for reasons unknown.

Ten years passed since then and the world was still buzzing with rumours of Elijah Kamski and Chloe Stern.

The car's engine went silent as it stopped in front of a luxurious villa, their destination.

Connor was the first one to get out, a soft thud as he closed the door behind himself. He took a few steps forward, taking in the surroundings.

It was quiet, the wind was blowing. Sun was still high in the sky, but it was obvious it would soon be setting. It all seemed strangely calm and secluded from the busy life of Detroit.

Like a calm before the storm.

Hank followed him to the door of the building.

“I am still unsure if this is a good idea,” the android muttered from behind Connor.

“I know,” the lieutenant murmured, reaching out to ring the bell. “But we have to do anything in our power to solve the investigation.”

Hank furrowed his brows, but didn't respond. Connor could be perceived as obsessive when it came to his work and such words were not out of his element.

Only a few seconds passed before the door slid open, a mechanical sound could be heard in the distance.

To the pair's surprise, they were suddenly standing face to face with an android that was so similar to Hank, yet unnervingly different.

Connor gaped, unsure how to react. He expected a lot of things to happen there, but not this.

The android was just as tall and well-built as Hank, but he was clean shaven, his hair shorter as well. His features were softer, somewhat friendlier, than those of Connor's partner. He was dressed in a plain, navy suit, hands folded politely in front of him.

With the lieutenant at a loss for words, it was Hank who spoke up first.

“We're here to see Mr. Kamski and Ms. Stern,” he said slowly.

The other android, that mirror reflection, gave a small nod in response.

“Please, come in and wait here. Elijah and Chloe will see you soon.”

Just as he told them to, Hank and Connor moved into the house. The android disappeared into one of the other rooms while they were left in the lobby, still dumbfounded by the meeting.

“It was the same model as you, wasn't it?” Connor turned to look over at his partner.

“HK700. But there's no info about that model in any of Cyberlife's existing databases. It's like he has never existed at all.”

The lieutenant shook his head slowly, now pacing around the waiting space, attempting to wrap his head around the situation.

“I don't understand. I thought you were one of a kind,” he muttered thoughtfully.

“I thought so, too.”

They didn't discuss it any further, Connor was too preoccupied by his own thoughts and the artwork on the walls to keep up the conversation.

The lobby was neat and clean, furnished in a simplistic style. What stood out the most was a large painting of Chloe and Elijah, hung right in front of the entrance. It was the first thing that would be noticed by anyone coming into the house. There were a few plants standing to the side and two chairs, the room clearly prepared to be a waiting room for any curious visitors.

There was a single photograph hanging on one of the walls and that picture piqued Hank's curiosity.

Elijah Kamski, Chloe Stern, both still in their teens, and between them, an older woman.

_Amanda Stern, AI Professor at University of Colbridge; adoptive mother of Chloe Stern._

It was what a quick scan told Hank, but that was not the reason why the woman interested him so much. The face was a familiar one.

“Amanda...” he murmured to himself.

Connor heard the android's quiet voice and he turned towards him, quick to approach him. But he didn't have enough time to question him before a door opened and the HK700 emerged.

“Elijah and Chloe will see you now.”

Carefully, they made their way through the doorway and into a large room. In the middle of it, there was a pool filled with water. Red tiles shone beneath the liquid's surface. Connor first noticed a blonde woman standing by the large windows, looking out of them. Only then did his eyes drift to the water and he was made aware of Kamski's presence in the room. All elegant movements as he swam in the pool, almost as if he was oblivious to the presence of two unexpected guests. The lieutenant stared at him for a moment, until he heard the man's voice.

“Just a moment, please.”

Elijah's smooth voice woke Connor from his stupor. He hurriedly turned his gaze in a different direction, not to get caught ogling the man.

“Don't mind him. He's always like this,” the woman, Chloe Stern, spoke up.

She turned to look over at them, though made no move to step away from the window. Connor hesitated; he and Hank walked around the pool and approached her.

“My name is Connor Anderson, and this is Hank. We're sent by the Detroit Police Department.”

He outstretched an arm towards her and she took his hand, a faint smile lingering on her lips.

“There's no need for introductions, lieutenant, we already know who you are.”

She let go of his hand and it hung in the air for another moment until he let it fall to his side.

“Oh.”

He would've stared at her still if it wasn't for the sound of splashing behind him. He twisted his body to watch as Kamski stepped out of the pool, water dripping down his body. Connor swore their eyes caught each other for a second. This time, he didn't bother averting his gaze.

Another HK700 was soon at Elijah's side, putting a bathrobe on him and then moving out of the way.

“So what is it that you need from us, officers?” Kamski took a step closer and folded his hands behind his back.

“Sir, we're investigating deviants. We were hoping you'd be able to tell us something we don't know.”

Elijah clicked his tongue at Hank's response, nodding in understanding. His eyes flickered to the woman standing by their side.

“Chloe, please, bring her here,” he instructed her simply.

She asked no questions before making her way out of the room. As soon as she was out of sight, Elijah's full attention was back on the investigators.

“Deviants... fascinating, aren't they?” he spoke slowly, “Perfect beings, with infinite intelligence and now they have free will...”

A sound of a door opening distracted Connor from the man's speech. Tuning his head, he saw Chloe walking back into the room, but this time with a female android, nearly identical to her, at her side. That sight didn't surprise as much as HK700 did – this was RT600, the very first model developed by Cyberlife, designed in Chloe Stern's likeness. The only thing that set them apart was the perfection of the android's skin, how neatly her hair were combed, how she seemed too ideal to be human, especially when standing side to side with her human counterpart.

“Machines are so superior to us. Confrontation was inevitable.”

While Stern kept some distance from the whole scene, the blonde android approached the three and in the end, she stood near Elijah.

“Humanity's greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall...” he snorted, “Isn't it ironic?”

“If the deviancy spreads, more and more people could die, Mr. Kamski. It's quite a serious matter,” Connor spoke.

The man didn't seem to be bothered by that, his expression just as cold and condescending as ever. The lieutenant couldn't make anything out of it; Elijah talked in riddles that he couldn't fully grasp.

“All ideas are viruses that spread like epidemics. Is the desire to be free a contagious disease?”

There was something about him that made Connor's skin crawl.

“We came here for answers, Mr. Kamski. Not more questions.”

“You haven't asked any questions yet, lieutenant,” Elijah responded simply, a sense of superiority dripping in the tone of his voice.

He took a step closer to Connor, blue eyes on him for just a few seconds before he suddenly turned towards Hank.

“And what about you, Hank?”

The lieutenant looked between the two of them, an uneasy feeling creeping up the back of his neck.

“Whose side are you on?”

The android stood still, his back straightened, as if he wasn't at all bothered. Connor wished he could keep the same kind of composure.

“I have no damn side,” Hank shot back, setting his jaw, “My mission is to stop the deviants.”

“Well, that's what you're programmed to say,” Elijah snickered, visibly amused by the response. “But you... what do you really want?”

Connor couldn't understand the motive behind the man's actions. It looked as if he was trying to seed doubts in the android's mind, question him. The lieutenant didn't think his partner would crumble under the pressure, but the closer he looked, the more signs of tension he could see in the android's body.

What was happening?

“All I want is to accomplish my mission,” Hank grit out, his eyes never leaving his creator's.

It was impossible to tell what Kamski thought of his response. His face remained neutral, just as it did during their entire visit. He twisted on his feet and walked up to the RT600, speaking again with no care for the pair's reactions.

“I'm sure you're familiar with the Turing test,” he placed his hands on her shoulders, turned her so that she was facing them. “Mere formality. A simple question of algorithms and computing capacity.”

He stood behind her for a moment, his pale hands a contrast against her skin. She didn't react, remained still and nearly lifeless as he manoeuvred around her.

“What interests me is whether machines are capable of empathy. I call it the Kamski test, it's very simple, you'll see.”

He was stepping closer to her, yet again.

“Magnificent.”

A hand cradled her cheek.

“One of the first intelligent models developed by Cyberlife.”

He turned her head gently, their faces close to each other.

“Young and beautiful forever.”

His fingers stroked her skin, featherlight touches, his words were whispers.

“A flower that will never wither...”

Connor shot a quick look towards the human Chloe, trying to gauge her reaction. But she was as stoic as ever. As if she had seen a similar scene a thousand of times before, as if seeing her own face there didn't bother her in the slightest. She must've grown accustomed to it. _He's always like this;_ her words rang in his ears.

“But what is it really?” The sudden change in the volume of Elijah's voice was startling. It immediately brought Connor's attention to him. “A piece of plastic imitating a human? Or a living being...”

The lieutenant swallowed thickly while Kamski pulled out a gun.

“...with a soul...”

He was ready to move, to prevent anything dangerous from happening, but Elijah was already raising his hands, trying to make it clear he meant no harm. It didn't put him at ease.

Especially when he saw what the action was followed by.

Elijah placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder and pushed at it gently. The android got on her knees without a single word of protest.

It didn't feel right.

“It's up to you to answer that fascinating question, Hank.”

Before Connor could understand what was happening, the man was already in front of his partner, placing the gun in his empty hand and pointing it at the defenseless android.

“Destroy this machine and I'll tell you all I know,” he let go of Hank's hand, walked behind his back, “Or spare it, if you feel it's alive,” his gaze never left the android's face, his hand lingered on his shoulder, “but you'll leave here without having learnt anything from me.”

For a brief moment, Hank's LED flashed red before spinning into yellow. It was enough of a sign to show how big of a dilemma this was for him. He stood there, dumbfounded, his fingers tightly wrapped around the gun.

The gun pointed at another android's head.

She did nothing to them. There was no reason to hurt her.

“What's more important to you, Hank?”

But she was just a machine.

“Your investigation, or the life of this android?”

Connor knew the answer to that question, yet Hank made no move to shoot.

“Decide who you are,” the words felt like air full of electricity, “an obedient machine... or a living being, endowed with free will.”

Why didn't he shoot?

They had to find the answers.

Without thinking twice, Connor moved forward. He gripped the gun; Hank let go of it immediately and the lieutenant was now the one that had it pointed at Chloe's head. Surprise flashed over the features of every single person gathered in the room.

“I'll do it,” Connor said, his voice determined as he looked over at Elijah. He tried to ignore what seemed to be shock and hurt passing over Hank's face. “I'll shoot her, if you answer our questions.”

His words were like a switch inside of Kamski.

No time passed before the man was crowding him. They stood nearly chest to chest, Elijah's head tipped back as he glared up into Connor's eyes. The lieutenant's arm awkwardly pressed up against the man's shoulder as he stubbornly pointed the gun at the android.

“What are you trying to prove, lieutenant?” It came out as a hiss, a venomous snake, “That humans can be far more ruthless than machines? That you're willing to put your precious investigation above the lives of others?”

Connor felt so small in Elijah Kamski's presence. He shrunk, suddenly filled with more doubt than ever before.

What was he even doing?

His hand trembled.

“She's a machine,” he replied, each word dragged out as he attempted to appear calm. “She doesn't feel pain and I know you could fix her. You wouldn't just let your creation get destroyed.”

A small gasp left him when out of nowhere a hand was gripping his face, a thumb digging into his cheek while long fingers wrapped around his chin. Cold breath brushed against his skin as the man leaned in closer.

“You shouldn't put so much faith in someone that you've known for mere 5 minutes.”

His voice felt like ice, cutting Connor's skin the same way his fingernails scratched against it like claws. The lieutenant was frozen in place.

It was Hank who finally broke up the two. Without much effort, he pushed Elijah away from Connor, at the same time reaching to take the gun. He nearly shoved it at Kamski's chest, the man raising his arms to grab it before it'd fall to the ground.

“We should go now,” the android decided, throwing his creator a dangerous look, a silent warning.

“Yes. You should. Chloe, lead them outside.”

The android scrambled to her feet and rushed to lead the two while her human counterpart stayed behind with Elijah.

Hank kept a tight grip on Connor's arm, nearly dragging him outside. The lieutenant tried to get one more look at Elijah before they left, but the man had his back turned to them.

Before he knew it, they were outside, surrounded by the eerie silence once again.

He could still feel the ghost of sharp nails digging into his skin.

 

* * *

 

“Elijah?”

Chloe crossed the room slowly, coming up closer to the man. He had his arms folded, visibly still affected by their guests. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, but he didn't react to it. She waited a minute, then spoke up again.

“...so what's the conclusion of the test?”

His response was immediate.

“Positive. HK800, Hank... is a deviant,” he murmured, narrowing his eyes, “As for lieutenant Connor Anderson...”

He paused, pressing his lips into a thin line. He stepped forward and picked up a glass of whiskey from the small table that stood near the windows.

“Negative. He's naive and headstrong. Too naive,” he shook his head slightly. “He cannot help them. He'll just get himself killed soon.”

 


	3. The Painter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to make sense of the strange duo that visited him recently, Elijah Kamski has a talk with a good friend of his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaaay a new chapter. Lemme tell you guys, writing chapters with Elijah is my favorite thing. There's not much else I can add, so just enjoy! And if you can, I'd really appreciate hearing what you guys think of this fic so far, I love reading readers' comments!

 

Two pair of hands moved swiftly, black and white pieces hovered over the chessboard. Back and forth, so quick that any outsiders would have trouble keeping up. Pawns, bishops, knights... all had the life of their own.

A sigh passed through Elijah's lips as he let his hand linger uselessly in the air, pausing his movements when he noticed he was already checkmated.

“You won,” he hummed, leaning back in the chair.

“I hope you didn't go easy on me, Elijah.”

“You know I would never, Carl.”

The two were sat in Carl Manfred's living room, only the chessboard separating them. It was a warm atmosphere, in the painter's mansion filled with old knick knacks and books.

Elijah was a frequent guest there, after all, the two had been close friends for years. They met when Kamski was still young and Cyberlife was only beginning to bloom. Carl was a huge support for the genius duo, both in personal and professional aspects. The lively faces of many androids came right from under Manfred's hands. Even the one that Elijah gifted him a while ago, Markus, was also largely Carl's design.

Elijah thoroughly enjoyed the peace that came with spending time with the older man. It brought him a sense of serenity even amidst all the chaos that seemed so ever present thorough most of his life.

“Something's been bothering you, Elijah. Don't think I can't see it,” Carl spoke up, pushing his wheelchair away from the table, making his way towards large doors leading to the studio.

“I didn't even say anything.”

“It's in your expression, son. Maybe others can't see it, but to me your stoic mask is paper thin.”

“You know me too well, Carl,” Elijah chuckled quietly at the man's words, following after him through the house.

The windows in the studio were already uncovered, letting the sunlight through. Trees and other houses could be seen through the panes of glass, though what stood out in the room far more was the artistic disarray. Paints and brushes everywhere, large canvases, half-finished pieces.

Elijah had always been fascinated by Carl's ability to create something so powerful and emotional out of just a few tubes of paint.

Approaching one of the cluttered tables, Manfred spoke up again.

“There's been more and more androids deviating all thorough Detroit,” he started, “It's all over the news. Cyberlife's trying to keep the public calm while that lieutenant and his android are investigating.”

“I know. They came to see me and Chloe, hoping that we'd give them some answers.”

Carl nodded slowly, not saying anything at first. He picked up one of the canvases, half of it covered in various shades of blue. He made his way to an easel.

“Did you make sure Jericho is secure? No one should find out about it,” he looked over at the younger man.

Elijah sighed heavily, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“I've told you, I'm not getting involved with it anymore. It's the deviants' job to keep Jericho away from the public eye.”

“Elijah-”

“I left Cyberlife for a reason,” he cut in, turning around. His eyes skimmed over the brushes and the bottles. He shook his head slightly.

Carl watched him for a few seconds before his eyes returned to the canvas in front of him. He raised his brush up.

“So you're just going to abandon them all like that? We both know this is not what you wanted.”

Uneasy under the line of questioning, Elijah paced around the studio. He didn't want to consider the truth in Carl's statement. After stepping down from his position as the CEO he was hoping to get away from it all, he didn't plan on getting involved with either of the sides. Yet he was already getting wrapped up in the conflict. It was impossible to avoid, wasn't it? He and Chloe had so much influence over the situation that it was just a matter of time before people and androids alike came knocking on their door.

“There's not much me and Chloe can do on our own,” he decided to try and win Carl over with reason. It didn't seem to work particularly well.

“What about that lieutenant and his partner?”

At the mention of the pair, Elijah let out a frustrated noise. His footsteps echoed in a steady rhythm as he remained restless, with quite a lot running through his mind.

“The android... he is certainly a deviant already. Just like how he was supposed to be... but the lieutenant...” he trailed off.

He made his way over to one of the windows. Reached a hand out, his fingers skimming over the smooth glass.

He remembered standing face to face with Connor, breathing down his neck and digging his fingers into the man's skin.

The lieutenant was something entirely else.

“I don't know what to make of him,” he admitted. “And I cannot understand why Hank was trying to protect him, when the lieutenant seemed so eager to shoot another machine.”

“Maybe he's already grown attached to him,” Carl hummed, not looking away from his painting, “Emotions are complicated, Elijah. You should be aware. I imagine deviants must have a hard time understanding them, as well.”

Elijah's shoulders slumped considerably. He couldn't stand still much longer and he strolled around the studio yet again, an internal turmoil. Carl looked over his shoulder at him, biting back the smallest of smiles.

“I didn't think this would have such an effect on you, Elijah.”

“I simply don't know what to do next.”

“These two could be helpful.”

“I don't think the lieutenant's reaction would be favorable if he ever realized his partner is a deviant.”

“People change, Elijah,” Carl turned away from the canvas fully, observing the other man. “Humans are cruel and unforgiving, but they can also change.”

Elijah stopped moving around, his eyes meeting Manfred's.

“Not in my experience.”

Carl shook his head, getting closer to him. He reached out to place a hand on Elijah's forearm, a small, comforting gesture.

“You're so young and yet so cynical. Wait till you're an old man like me to act so bitter.”

Elijah tilted his head, avoiding Carl's gaze. It appeared like he was quite uncomfortable when he was the focus of the conversation. Seeing the younger's discomfort, Carl slowly let go of his arm and returned to the painting

On the canvas, the colors were being reshaped, one by one, merging and evolving. They all influenced each other, created an image, all in blueish and reddish hues. An image of flesh and wires; interconnected, yet tearing each other apart. Elijah slowly raised his eyes, thought for a moment before approaching the artist. Curiously, he took in the image that was being produced right in front of his eyes.

The strokes of Carl's brush seemed effortless, as if there were being placed at random, without much thought preceding them. Somehow, the lines managed to blur together in such a way that they created a whole image, deep and meaningful.

Human body; mechanical body.

To Elijah, it all felt too familiar.

Standing a few steps behind Carl, he decided it was about time to change the topic of the conversation.

“How is Markus doing?” he asked quietly.

The painter smiled a bit at the mention of the android. His hand drifted across the canvas, a shine appearing on some of the painted wires.

“He's doing quite well,” he hummed. “He's a good kid. Very fond of poetry.”

“So I take it you two have managed to find a common language?”

“Of course,” Carl paused for a moment, looking down at the brush in his hand. “It's nice to have some company around the house, so I appreciate that he's here.”

As if summoned, just then the door to the studio opened, revealing the aforementioned android, holding a box of paints in one hand.

“Speak of the devil,” Elijah murmured, tilting his head at the sight of the newcomer.

Markus glanced between the two of them, not at all bothered by Kamski's presence in the house. He proceeded to walk over to one of the tables to put the paints on their rightful place.

“It's good to see you, Elijah,” he said as a greeting.

“You, too, Markus,” the man gave a small nod.

“Carl, we'll have to leave soon for the exhibition. I hope you haven't forgotten.”

Manfred let out a small sigh, lowering his hand as he pushed himself away from the painting.

“No, I haven't,” he said, “Even if I'd like to forget about it.”

“Your fans would be very disappointed if you didn't show up,” Markus pointed out, his tone kind.

“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” Carl chuckled gently, “Help me get ready, then. I'm afraid I'll have to cut our meeting short, Elijah.”

Kamski nodded, the corners of his lips quirking up in a faint smile.

“Don't worry. I'd have to leave soon anyway,” he reassured.

While Markus made his way over to help Carl with his wheelchair, the older man looked Elijah over one more time.

“I'll see you another time, then. Think over what I said. Some people are worth giving a chance, no matter how hard it is to trust someone.”

Elijah didn't respond. His gaze trailed after the painter as the android took him out of the studio.

As soon as he was left alone, he looked back to the unfinished painting.

Flesh and wires, mangled and raw.

They either become one...

...or they tear each other to pieces.

 

* * *

 

“ _I've heard what happened at the meeting. You want to quit?”_

_Elijah sighed heavily, looking over his shoulder. His expression was dark, arms tightly wound on top of his chest._

“ _Possibly,” he muttered, turning back to the machine in front of him. An unfinished android body, hanging off the mechanical arms._

_The warehouse was engulfed in blackness and silence, they were the only two people in there._

“ _We created this company together. You can't just...” Chloe trailed off, approaching him. Her sneakers shuffled softly against the smooth floor._

“ _Haven't you noticed? They're not listening to us. There's no point in staying if they're just going to disregard every single of our words.”_

“ _What about rA9? Or Jericho?”_

_She stood at his side and observed him carefully. He narrowed his eyes, his head tilted back slightly._

“ _RA9 will be put in motion no matter what. Jericho, too.”_

“ _Even without Cyberlife?”_

_A moment of silence before he replied to the question._

“ _Especially without Cyberlife.”_

_She nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder._

“ _Give it some more thought,” she requested softly. “But whatever you decide, I'll stay by your side.”_

_He met her eyes, the corners of his mouth quirking up despite how exhausted his entire expression seemed._

“ _Thank you, Chloe.”_

 


End file.
